The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003


The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft logo

Trial Details

T/LA/304 Elspett Blackie

Name of the accused
Elspett Blackie
Associated case
C/EGD/388 (9/8/1661)
Trial process type
Central Court

Pre-trial actions

commissions
commission body type date seal notes
no recorded commission
previous commissions
commission body date
no recorded prior commission
appeals
central authority reason appeal date
no recorded appeals
complaints
type date of complaint lodged at appeal date complainent involvement
no recorded complaints
move to higher legal authority
moved to date of move
no recorded move to higher legal authority
denunciations
denuncation date dated
no recorded denunciations
imprisonments
incarceration date central trial imprison prison location moving
no recorded imprisonments
tortures
date of torture torture type
no recorded tortures
ordeals
date of ordeal ordeal type
no recorded ordeals
confessions
central trial confession date location notes
yes None Edinburgh None
no 7/8/1661 Edinburgh None
no 29/7/1661 Liberton None

other information

Pre-trial notes
None
watched?
no
watch date
no information
arrested?
no
arrest date
no information
fled?
no
date absconded
no information
action dropped?
no
action dropped date
no information
action dropped by
no information
trial action body
no information
confronting suspects?
no

Trial phase

trial date
7/8/1661
trial place
no information

place of trial

settlement
Edinburgh
parish
no information
presbytery
no information
county
no information
burgh
no information

verdict

verdict
Guilty
defence
no
female accusers
0
male accusers
0
recorded as high status?
no
order for central judiciary trial
no
judiciary trial date
no information
circuit court (mixed central and local)
no
circuit name
no information
local court with central representatives
no
trial notes
None
persons associated with the trial
name title office occupation involvement witchpricker? notes
David Dunmure Mr substitute to lord's advocate advocate Prosecutor no Involved in cases and trials in 1661.
David Mowbray None None None Chancellor no Involved in trials in 1661.

Post-trial phase

sentence
Execution
executed?
yes
execution date
9/8/1661
execution place
Common Green
execution method
Strangle & Burn
post trial notes
to be executed at Gilmerton, between 2 and 4 in the afternoon
other named witches
name trial link accused link
Elspeth Mowat T/LA/305 A/EGD/348

Mentioned as a witch

mentioned as a witch
type name mention date fate linked trialdate trial link notes
no mentions